Spring at the Homestead

Hi everyone, I know its been a while since my last post, but there's been all sorts of things going on with the family and the garden and I havn't had enough time to sit and attend to this post...however I was taking pictures in preparation :) I havn't been spending as much time on the internet either, instead spending more time with God, my family, the garden and home.

 Homemaking is a fulltime job in itself, let alone any other work we may do as woman. I always find there's a list of things to be done, and with the onset of warmer weather, the list continues to grow !!
Some tasks I've been doing:
1. Weedeating the property - a much easier way to keep up with the weeds, with a large garden.
2. Removing cobwebs from ceilings and corners - almost a fulltime task in an old villa, with tall ceilings.
3. Sweeping leaves off verandah's and washing them down.
4. Preparing garden beds with compost, manure etc.
5. Sewing seeds: Buttercup Pumpkin, Zucchini, Cherry Tomato, Corn, Cos Lettuce, Basil, Cosmos, Sunflowers, Echinacea, Sweet Pea and Hollyhocks.
6. Still to do - Oil the outdoor furniture. Some years I give it a light sand, and restain it too.

I believe its a worthy task to create a warm welcoming space -  a restfull home and garden for family and friends to enjoy.
Last year, I had a builder build a large new pantry for the kitchen, and when it was complete, he asked if their was any other work needing doing. I said their certainly was, but I didn't have the money to do any more renovations right now. He said 'thats a shame, this is my favourite home to come to, it has a lovely feeling about it, its peaceful'. I took that as a wonderful compliment, because thats exactly what I wanted to create. Things we 'consciously do' and surround with prayer, have a lasting effect and make a differnece to others. Nothing we ever do in love, is wasted.

"There is a magic in that little word 'HOME'; it is a mystic circle that surrounds

and virtues never known beyond its hallowed limites."

Robert Southey - English Poet (1774-1843)

SPRING in New Zealand

I love spring, its just so exciting, the garden wakes up...

...the bareness of winter is replaced by buds, magnolia blooms, daffodils and lambs in the fields.

I've been 'spring cleaning' too, washing linens  and clearing out wardrobes/bookshelves and giving all the excess away to second hand stores.

If you think you need a bigger wardrobe, or a new bookcase, you probably don't, you just need a clean out. The old saying 'one mans waste is another mans treasure is so true'. Where I live, once a year, they have this roadside collection, where you can put all manner of things you don't want out on the footpath, and people can just come by and take it. Let me tell you, nothing stays out there for long  !!, once we even put an old threadbare couch and it was snapped up within minutes..I couldn't believe it. :)

~ Radish seedlings ~

So these past months have seen me busy in the garden, preparing the vegetable boxes, with compost, sheep manure and blood and bone.

I've also dug up a whole new garden, for corn, tomatoes and courgettes, because I found I just needed more garden.

I  aquired some old tyres, which I'm going to plant pumpkins and stake peas in - using the layered lasagna style (Ruth Stout method) of no dig gardening. Here's a link on utube to it:
http://youtu.be/Tt-KHUITId8

~ Ruth Stout in her garden (in her younger years ~

Quote: 'Being in the garden gives me a profound feeling

of inner peace' (and I can say Me too!!).

Its probably the one place I connect mostly with God. If I have stress or worries, 10 minutes out there doing a little weeding and I forget what it was that was troubling me. Its truly a great blessing from God to have a garden.

~ Me in the garden ~ 2009

~ A self seeded Foxglove in the garden from previous years, so cottagey and pretty. ~

I think this summer's garden will be the largest ever !!. Big enough for the 2 of us, some to preserve and plenty to share with friends. I've sown more of my own seeds this year, which is exciting, as normally I buy all the plants.

~ Buttercup Pumpkin seedlings ~

I cut up an old yoghurt container to make little stick type labels for the seedlings.

~ Cherry tomato seedlings ~

Seeds are cheaper and theirs always plenty of plants to share with others and some left over to plant later on, or even the following year.

I've been saving seeds too, such as sunflowers, kale, lettuce etc. Last summer I let a butter crunch lettuce get huge and go to seed, its since produced masses of plants..very exciting :)

The berries are planted along this fence line, blackcurrants, raspberries, blueberries and strawberries. I've also transplanted about 50 other strawberry plants and placed them as edging plants around flower gardens.

~ strawberry plants just starting to flower ~

Some Hierloom tomato plants I purchased. I'll plant them out at the start of November.
several differnt varieities, Amish Paste and Bloody Butcher.

"Every gardener knows that under the cloak of winter lies a miracle,  a seed waiting to sprout, a bulb opening to the light, a bud straining to unfurl. And the anticipation nurtures our dream."

-Barbara Winkler

~ Our grapevine - pic taken last summer.~

 A friend advised I prune some of the bunches of grapes off, to encourage bigger bunches in those that remain and a faster ripening time. I'll try that this year...buds are only now appearing on the vines :)

Bruce helps in the garden with the more heavy duty jobs and last weekend saw him doing a lot of clearing. This property was a bit of an overgrown jungle when we purchsed it almost 5 years ago, but now its looking completely tranformed. He removed some old unwanted trees and split all the wood and then dug large holes to plant the fruit trees.

(split wood in the background and this lovely newly planted 'Winter Nellis' Pear Tree)

So far we've planted 2 Pear trees, a Fruiting Cherry,

a Peach tree last year, a Plum tree (yellow sweet flesh and dark red skin) and I've ordered 2 apple trees (1 x Cox's orange pippin - a nice crunchy sweet eating apple and Granny Smith, a wonderful apple for pies and preserving. I can't wait for the day the trees are laden :)

 I've also ordered an Apricot tree, but that won't be ready until August next year. Its a good variety for preserving, which is what I wanted.There was a lemon tree and a Feijoa when we arrived here, and I planted a small orange tree. I'd still like to remove one very large tree, and that will make room for 2 avocado's, more citrus - another orange and a mandarin tree, and maybe a nut tree..

A few weeks ago I made some Sweet Orange Marmalade, because oranges were cheap at the time and plentifull. Its so delicious. I hadn't made any in quite a few years and I'd forgotten how lovely it was. I don't like to use grapefruit in my marmalade, as I find it too bitter.

Family Things:

Our middle son Louis moved home for about 6 weeks (just while he was in between houses and moving to a new town), and what a wonderful time that was. I went into full mother hen mode and baked my little socks off , think I gained a few pounds  lol, but it was worth it. :) Then we had Katie and our little grandbaby Lily come and stay for a week. Lily is walking now and very inquisitive about everything !!, I forgot how busy little ones are :)

I bought a new rocking chair a while back and she loved it...made my heart sing.

Here's a pic of Melissa and little Flint, our grandson :)

Here's a few foodie things I've been making lately. I try to be quite economical with cooking, and normally make most things from scratch, bread, baking, pastry etc. I do buy things like hummus sometimes, but homemade is generally nicer and doesn't have any preservatives, so that makes it superior in my books. You can cook the chickpeas from scratch, all they need is soaking overnight in cold water and then boiling the next day for about 45 minutes. Just freeze excess beans. Latley Ive been using a can of chickpeas, mainly because this quanitity makes just enough to last a while. Its a wonderful thing to be able to pick Lemons of your own tree and one I never take for granted. I grew up in the South Island, way down, in Dunedin/Mosgiel and we couldn't grow lemons there, as it was too cold.

~ Homemade Hummus ~

Ingredients

1 can of chickpeas (drained)

2 cloves of garlic

Soya sauce

1 Tablespoon dark tahini paste

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Pinch of ground chili

Juice of 1 lemon

1 T olive oil

Salt to taste

Drain the chickpeas, but don't rinse. Add all ingredients to the blender 

and whizz until smooth. Place in a bowl or jar, cover and store in the refrigerator.
Variation: Add a little chopped sun dried tomato.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A beautifull Magnolia bloom from my garden. I love these flowers so much and plan on painting some of them. I ahve my easel set up in my little Amish room, and painted over 2 pictures I no longer wanted with a base coat, but havn't had the chance to do anything more for now...

a beautifull Camelia ...I took this pic when I was out walking one day.

~~~~~~~

sweet 'Honesty' - self seeded and growing wild all over the garden around by the trees

Clematis flowering along the verandah..beautifull every year.

Bruce and I went to St Mary's gala. I loved seeing the little shetland Ponies. They had free rides for children in a little wagon, the ponies were towing.

Another dip I make fairly often is my 'Asparagus and Parmesan Dip' This one is probably best eaten on the day its made, but will keep for up to 5 days.

Ingredients

1 can of asparagus pieces (not tips)

1 x ripe avocado/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

1 T Olive oil

1 Tablesoon lemon juice

season with salt

Add all ingredients to the blender and process until smooth.

 Store in the refrigerator.

 Nice with sliced cusumbers and carrot or celery sticks. Light and refreshing.

and now for a couple of sweet things. I used to make this chocolate rough slice a lot when my children were at school, it was a good one for the lunch boxes. 



Chocolate Rough Slice

Ingredients

80 grams butter (3/4 of a stick)

1 cup coconut

1/2 cup sugar

1 Cup plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 Tablespoon Cocoa powder

Topping

1 Cup Icing Sugar

1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder

2 Tablesoons butter

 1Cup coconut

Cream the butter and suag, add flour, coconut and cocoa. Mix well and press into a medium size tin. The base should be about 1 centimetre thick. bake in a  moderate oven for 20 minutes (not on fan bake).

Prepare the topping once the base is just out of the oven.

Put all the topping ingredients in a saucepan and melt over a gentle heat, stirring often. Add up to 2 Tablespoons of milk to ensure its a spreading consistency. Beat well. Spread over the warm base and clice when cold.

My Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Katie requested this recipe)

Ingredients

125g butter (1 stick)

1 cup brown sugar

1./2 cup white sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vailla essence

2  Cups plain flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

2 Teablespoons good quality cocoa

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups of chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts - optional

Method:

 Preheat oven to 170 C. Line trays with baking paper.

Cream the butter and sugars. Add vanilla, and eggs one at a time, beat until fluffy between each egg.

Add sifted flour, salt and soda. Sprinkle over the oats. Set the mixer to low and beat gebntly until combined. Place dessertspoon fulls on trays, leaving a good gap for spreading. Bake for 10-12 minutes, depending on whether you like them crisper or fudgy :)

..and now for something savoury.....a little recipe I created the other week :)

Quick and Easy Slow Cooker Pork Chops

Ingredients

6 good size Pork Chops

1 x Can of Pineapple Rings in their own juice

2 Tablesoons Kikoman Soy Sauce

1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

Salt and Black pepper

1/4 Cup white wine (optional)

Fresh Thyme

2 Onions - sliced

Olive oil

Method

Turn the slow cooker on to Low.

Heat some olive oil and brown the pork chops on both sides. Set aside.

Fry the onions in the same pan, until lightly browned. Place in the base of the slow cooker. put the pork chops on top of them.

Deglaze the pan with the wine and scape up any bits from the pan. pour over the chops.

Add all remaining ingredients. Place the lid on the cooker, and cook for about 6 hours.

I served this with steamed pumpkin, and greens. Enjoy.

Here's some favourite music I've been enjoying listening to lately: 'The Peasall Sisters' They have quite a few songs on utube: The song 'Home to you' http://youtu.be/0KIF7xMBgBc
Here's a link to their site.
http://www.peacehall.org/
and I love Misty Edwards: http://youtu.be/IJ8pu_OHz2Y
and I also love the West Girls: http://youtu.be/HrnPWXXh-uM

and a little clip of their home: http://youtu.be/8pepb9R3Ozk

They are woman after my own heart. I love the same things they do,living a simple organic life, gardening, homemaking, dressing feminine, loving my family and serving God.

Her's a link to a little intro clip from their 'Homestead Blessings Series '
http://youtu.be/SgC0EwDgokA

of The West Girls talking about healing plants: I grow a lot of herbs, and use them in cooking and also for medicinal purposes.

Another lady I really like is Tasha Tudor. What a legacy she left, of a peaceful life, an enjoyment of simple things and beautfull childrens books.

~ “There is no peace that cannot be found in the present moment.” ~

(Tasha Tudor)   

Here's a link to a documentary about her life and garden. Its in Japenese, but you can still see her and her lovely garden and home :)

http://youtu.be/9zU-15to8d4

Well thats all from me for now. The next blog will be about some of my favourite things, purchases etc from second hand/antique stores and what I'm working on in the sewing department...God Bless you all - Linda :)

Amish Whoopie Pies

I know I havn't blogged in forever, but I've been very busy and only recently returned from 6 weeks in America, but the good thing is, I have many new foodie things to blog about !!!
One of the places I got to visit was Holmes County OHIO with my dear friend Holly from West Virginia...and can you believe we actually met online about 3 years ago..at My Space. We both had a love of vintage/prim/country things and of course the Amish..and so the friendship went from there.We stayed one night at the Garden Gate Getaway B&B. Talk about total immersion in all things Amish, from Bakeries, to Cheese and gift shops etc. The B&B was right in the centre of an Amish/Mennonite community, so all day and night, the gentle clip clop of horses hooves was heard going past...it was a truly magical time. Of course I went crazy taking pics..and will upload a few later. Anyway I had always wanted to try some Amish baking and this time I did. I bought a Whoopie Pie..it was almost as large as a small side plate..deep dark chocolately spongy goodness, samwiched between a thick layer of white creamy icing...mmm..it was good. I couldn't wait to get home and re-create its deliciousness in my own kitchen, and I did that yesterday. They turned out great...but as I always do, I put a Linda twist on it, and instead of the regular white icing, I made a Mock Cream Filling, that my nana used to fill her choclate cakes with :) So heres the recipe I used for the Whoopies :)..(which is from a real Amish cookbook) .

Amish Chocolate Whoopie Pies

(Yield 17 Filled Cookies)

Ingredients:

1 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Butter

1egg

2 Cups all purpose plain flour

1/2 Cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2  teaspoon salt

1/2 Cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup hot water

Method:

Cream the butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Beat till well combined. Sift flour, cocoa and salt. Add alternatively to the butter mixture, along with the buttermilk. Beat till only just slightly combined. Dissolve the baking soda in the hot water. Add this to the mixture, beating all the time. Mix gently and well.

Drop by well rounded teaspoons onto a baking paper lined tray. Bake at 400 / 170 degreees for 8- 10 minutes.

Cool and samwhich together with the mock cream.

Mock Cream Filling

If you want a really thick filling, you will need to double this quantity.

110g butter softened

50 grams of sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of cream of tartar

1 teaspoon powdered gelatine

3 1/2  Tablespoons boiling water

Dissolve the gelatine in boiling water and chill. Cream the butter and sugar, add cream of tartar and vanilla. Add gelatine mixture and beat until creamy, all combined and thickened. It should look lighter and fluffer and increase in volume....so keep beating until this happens. Use about 2-3 teaspoons to fill each whoopie pie...now sit back with a cofee and a good magazine and enjoy !!! 

Chilli Jelly and Bacon Wrapped Mussels

My Fabulous Chilli Jam

5 - 1/2 Small Jars

I first tried Chilli Jelly a couple of years ago when I was in Arkansas USA and that got me hooked. Chilli Sauce is readily available in New Zealand, but I have not yet come upon a comparable chilli jelly, that has that unique flavour. I tried making it myself last year, and while the flavour was there, the jelly didn't set.
We still used it, even though it was a bit runny (friends loved it too). I also tried everywhere to source liquid Certo, which is this fabulous pectin liquid stuff, that makes the mixture set into a jelly. Its available in America..but no-one stocks it here !!!. So this year when I go back to the States, you can be sure I am stocking up big time!!!

Anyway today I tried a slightly different recipe with no added water, and incresed the Jam Set Mix to 2 packets...and it looks as though I've cracked it (somewhat). The texture is still not 'jellyish' though..more like an apple jelly sort of texture,...runny/thick toffee perhaps? One thing about me, I will persevere until I get a recipe right !!..which reminds me of when I began baking bread. (but that's another story), for another blog lol. But watch this space..next summer, we may well see 'real set JELLY' !!! lol.
.... ok here's the recipe:

You will need:

7 Chillies (preferably home grown..I used mild banana chillies)

1 x Red & Green Capsicum

1 1/2 Cups White Vinegar

6 Cups of White Sugar

Pinch of Sea Salt

1/2 - 1 teaspoon Red Food Colouring (optional)

2 x packets of Hansells Jam Setting Mix

Disposable latex gloves

Small Preserving Jars

Lids and Seals

Tongs 

Wooden Board & Teatowel

Method

1. Put your gloves on !!!, otherwise the oils in the chillies work their way into the pores of your skin and are very hard to get rid off..believe me, even after many washes !!

2. Turn the oven on to medium. Place the cleaned jars in the centre of the oven to get them warm. Place the rings and seals in a small saucepan and cover with water. bring to the boil, hold for a few minutes, then remove from the heat.

3. Prepare the chillies and peppers. I remove and discard the seeds and pith from all and then dice everything very small. Some people put it through a food processor, but it turns to mush and mpre scum rises then as its boiled..so its up to you to choose here.

4. In a large saucepan, add the vinegar, salt and sugar. Add the finely diced peppers, chillies and 3 pkts of Jam Set. Bring this mixture to a rolling boil and hold at this point for 6 minutes.

5.  Remove the peppers and chilllies with a slotted spoon after 5 minutes and any scum that rises to the top. 6. Remove from the heat, still in 1/ 2 - 1 teaspoon of food colouring (optional)

7. Prepare to bottle - Cover the board with the teatowell. Place the warmed jars on the board and carefully pour the hot jelly/jam into the jars. I leave a 1 cm space at the top of the jar. Cover with a clean seal and a ring. Screw down firmly. Jars are sealed when the lid sucks down and makes a pop sound.

 Ways to serve: Chilli jelly is lovely on crackers, with cream cheese or a sharp cheddar. Its also nice with a slice of pizza. I also discovered its fabulous drizzled over bacon wrapped mussels..recipe follows:

Fabulous BBQ'd Bacon Wrapped Marinated Mussels

I made these last summer and took them to be cooked at a friends BBQ. All the 'mussel lovers' gobbled them up....(including me). I hope you'll try them :)

You will need:

1 x container of Marinated Mussels

Streaky Bacon Rashers (I cut one rasher in half for each mussel)

1/2 a small Lemon & 1 Lime

Toothpicks

Chilli Jelly (to serve)

Method:

1. Even if you purchase marinated mussels (as I do), in this recipe it works to still marinate them a little longer in some lemon and lime juice (gives a tang to them), just for about 5-10 minutes. Use 1/2 a small lemon and 1 lime. Place the marinated mussels in a small bowl and squeeze the juices over. Let it stand for 5 - 10 minues, stirring after 5.

2. Wrap each mussel in 1/2 a rasher of bacon and secure with a toothpick.

3. Cook on a hot grill/Barbecue..until the bacon is lovely and crispy.

4. To serve - Pile the bacony mussels in a little bowl and serve a small bowl of chilli jelly on the side, for people to help themselves.

'Moreish and Delicious'

My Preserved Pears (Overflow Method)

Bottled pears are one of my favourite fruits..lovley with breakfast muesli, or as a crumble pudding in winter..YUM.

Last year I raided a friends tree, and preserved about a dozen jars, only using the final jar not so long ago. Then about a month back, my daughter Katie, and grandaughter Lily set of to Julie's for a visit and to pick the lovely Pakham and Winter Nells pears once again. But on this occasion, the pears warn't quite ripe.....but undeterred, Katie still climbed the ladder (like a good daughter) and filled a large bucket full, plus 2 buckets of apples, (which I still havn't done anything with !!!) lol.

It took several weeks for all of them to ripen, soI had to bottle them in 2 different batches. This last lot were almost over-ripe, hence the final product looking a little cloudy in the jar.... but the taste will still be divine :)

Heres the simple method I use:

1 x Large Saucepan with lid
Preserving Jars, Lids(Rings) and Seals
Large Bowl and Peeler
Pears
Lemons x 2
White Sugar

Method:

Half fill a large bowl with cold water and squeeze in the lemon juice (to prevent discolouration of the peeled fruit). Peel and core the pears and cut into quarters. Work quickly as the fruit still seems to discolour if its left too long in the lemon water.

Turn the oven on to a medium heat and place the clean jars in their to warm. I also boil the seals and rings in a saucepan to steralize them, then everything is hot, the pears, jars etc.

In the large saucepan, make a syrup: 1 cup of sugar to every 2 cups of water. I think for the quantity of pears I had, which was about 4lbs (1 1/2 - 2 Kilos), I used 3 cups sugar and 6-7 cups of water.

Bring this mixture to the boil (covered).

Add the prepared fruit, bring back to the boil and then reduce slightly. Stir gently and cook until fruit is soft. As my fruit was quite ripe, it only took about 8 minutes.

Cover a chopping board with a tea-towel and Remove one of the jars from the oven. Ladle hot fruit in to fill the jar. Pour over enough hot syrup to come right up to the top of the jar. Wipe the rim with a clean cloth. Place a steralized seal and ring on top and screw down firmly. Wipe the jars and place in a draught free spot. The jars are sealed when the seals have sucked down. When the jars are cold, carefully remove the rims. Do ths gently, so the seal is not disturbed. Wipe the jars with a damp cloth to remove any residual syrup and store in a dark place...to enjoy during the winter months :o)

* Ginger Crunch *

This is a recipe my mum made when I was little, one I baked when my children were growing up and I still love making it. Its from my old crusty, stained Edmonds Cookbook..one of my favs, which I brought when I was first going flatting..many moons back. I've even doubled the recipe and it still turns out great..some people double the icing, if they want it really thick..mmm

I use a med size rectangular low side pan to bake it in, so the base browns evenly and is nice and thick. Its easy to make, fancy without trying and great with a cup of tea or coffee. I hope you'll try it !

 

Ingredients: (Base)

125g butter (4 ounces)

1/2 Cup sugar

1 3/4 cups plain flour

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon baking powder

Cream butter and sugar and pale and creamy.

Add the sifted flour, BP and ginger..mix well and press into a paper lined tin. 

Bake 20-25 minutes at 170 Celcius

Prepare the icing after the base is cooked :

Ingredients: (Icing)

10 Tablesooons of Icing Sugar

5 tablespoons of Butter

4 teaspoons of golden syrup

2 teaspoons of ground ginger

Melt all together in a pan, stirring.

 Pour over the hot base.

Cut the slice while still warm.

 Cool completely and store in an airtight container.. enjoy :o)

a cuppa to enjoy with it, in my Cath Kidston cup, Katie got me for my birthday..:))